Yoga Sanyama

Yoga Sanyama is the mind poise which comes from understanding the links between concentration, meditation and contemplation. Most of us are aware of the stress which can arise when one thought chases another, or from the lack of sleep due to an over active mind. To gain control over what is often mindless serial thinking; the Yoga techniques of concentration, meditation and contemplation can prove invaluable.

Concentration means with one centre and exercises in concentration are important preliminary exercises in a Yoga class, such as focussing on posture, candle gazing (trataka), watching and calming the breath, watching the monkey jump, that is watching the tendency of the mind to jump from one branch of thought to another and then gradually taking control by stilling the mind and focussing on one thing at a time.

Meditation is full exercise of thought about something of interest and quite different to what is best described as day dreaming, and previous exercises in concentration will help in keeping to the point and in maintaining focus. Meditation can be defined as discursive reasoning, in which one engages in a conscious and logical process of thought analyses on a chosen subject.

Contemplation means with pattern and occurs when the mind has been engaged during meditation and when completing its thought processes sees the whole pattern of thought in its whole context. It is at this stage when the transition into Samadhi and a deeper level of insight becomes possible.

To commit the feeling of this entire process to memory will help in the day to day turmoil of everyday living, by recalling the objective calm experienced when meditating.